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J. Niemiec - “Blue Homeland – The New Doctrine of the Turkish Foreign Policy”

J. Niemiec - “Blue Homeland – The New Doctrine of the Turkish Foreign Policy”

The Mavi Vatan ("Blue Homeland") concept, which has dominated Turkish public debate in the past years, assumes that Turkey will increase its activities in the adjacent seas. In line with determinants of this strategic vision, the main goal of Turkey is to significantly expand its exclusive economic zones in the Black Sea, the Aegean Sea and the Mediterranean Sea. The authorities in Ankara argue that the current delimitation of maritime boundaries is highly unjust and disregards historical and geographical conditions. Although the idea of the "Blue Homeland" was formulated in military circles at the beginning of the 21st century, it was only recently adopted as an important element of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's new foreign policy doctrine. In this context, it should be noted that the popularity of Mavi Vatan in Turkey results from the discovery of huge deposits of natural gas in the eastern Mediterranean. In an attempt to justify their rights to take control over this resource, the Turks employ a whole range of diplomatic, military and propagandistic measures. Politicians of the ruling Justice and Development Party are aware that a possible access to gas deposits leads directly to a gradual independence of Turkey from the expensive imports of energy resources, which would be a huge great incentive for the economic development of the country.

Jan Niemiec

KBN Commentary no. 3 (75) / 2021

1 March 2021

The Mavi Vatan ("Blue Homeland") concept, which has dominated Turkish public debate in the past years, assumes that Turkey will increase its activities in the adjacent seas. In line with determinants of this strategic vision, the main goal of Turkey is to significantly expand its exclusive economic zones in the Black Sea, the Aegean Sea and the Mediterranean Sea. The authorities in Ankara argue that the current delimitation of maritime boundaries is highly unjust and disregards historical and geographical conditions. Although the idea of ​​the "Blue Homeland" was formulated in military circles at the beginning of the 21st century, it was only recently adopted as an important element of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's new foreign policy doctrine. In this context, it should be noted that the popularity of Mavi Vatan in Turkey results from the discovery of huge deposits of natural gas in the eastern Mediterranean. In an attempt to justify their rights to take control over this resource, the Turks employ a whole range of diplomatic, military and propagandistic measures. Politicians of the ruling Justice and Development Party are aware that a possible access to gas deposits leads directly to a gradual independence of Turkey from the expensive imports of energy resources, which would be a huge great incentive for the economic development of the country.

In the photo: The map of Mavi Vatan drawn by Admiral Cihat Yaycı (credit: Wikipedia CC BY-SA-4.0)

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J. Niemiec - „Błękitna ojczyzna” − nowa doktryna tureckiej polityki zagranicznej